Woman sues her own sister after cat bite led to an infection and costly medical bills

Michelle Del Rey
·2-min read
Woman sues her own sister after cat bite led to an infection and costly medical bills

A woman in Michigan is suing her sister after her cat bit her and left her with a large infection and thousands of dollars in medical bills.

The incident at the center of the lawsuit happened on December 26. Terra Simpson, 48, was visiting her sister Samantha Scherer, 50, from Alabama in Michigan. Without reason, Scherer’s cat, named Zoey, bit her on her right wrist and left her with multiple puncture wounds.

Simpson’s arm swelled to three times the normal size. She suffered a severe reaction to the attack that required medical treatment to her right hand and arm, including surgical intervention, medications and physical therapy, according to the lawsuit.

Simpson says she had a cat allergy that her sister was aware of. She also said her sister also knew that the cat had a history of aggression and did not have updated vaccinations, according to a federal court filing last month.

Samantha Montgomery Scherer, left, and Terra Simpson, right, with their partners in 2017. Simpson is suing Scherer claiming that she failed to protect her against her cat which bit her in December (Samantha Montgomery Scherer/Facebook)
Samantha Montgomery Scherer, left, and Terra Simpson, right, with their partners in 2017. Simpson is suing Scherer claiming that she failed to protect her against her cat which bit her in December (Samantha Montgomery Scherer/Facebook)

Simpson argues that her sister had a duty to act with reasonable care in protecting visitors to her home from her cat and to provide the animal with basic veterinary care.

She is seeking up to $300,000 in damages related to her medical injuries and mental anguish.

One person who visited Scherer’s home, Amber Chaney, claimed she was bit by the cat when it was not provoked and it drew blood. Another visitor, David Mettert, said the same thing happened to him about three years ago, according to the suit filed in Michigan federal court

Simpson left the Michigan home and had to stop at urgent care on her way back to Alabama, according to the filing. She was seen at a clinic in Kentucky, where officials noted her puncture wounds. When she arrived in Alabama, she went to an emergency room where she stayed for eight days.

The woman’s breathing became labored and after failing to progress with IV antibiotics, she underwent surgery on December 30 for incision and drainage of abscess on her right hand and forearm, the documents state.

A photo of the injuries Terra Simpson says that she sustained after her sister’s cat bit her in December (Terra Simpson)
A photo of the injuries Terra Simpson says that she sustained after her sister’s cat bit her in December (Terra Simpson)

The woman has continued to attend physical therapy appointments. It remains unclear if she will ever be able to make a full recovery.

Zoey died from old age in March, according to The Detroit News. Scherer found out about the lawsuit from the newspaper and said she was not surprised by the filing given her sister’s current medical state.

“I’m not saying people should just go around and sue people, but it’s obvious with everything that she’s been through,” she said.

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